tillery gave us renewed spirits but it was in
vain to hope for victory against a better posted and overwhelming
force.

Hurrah! At last, here comes Dwight's brigade. But suddenly, as if
evoked by magic, arose a long gray line of armed men. They had crawled
unperceived through the thick high canes and our first intimation of
their presence was a murderous volley raking our lines from right to
left. Bradley's battery was retreating to the rear, with nine of his
men dead or disabled on the ground. "Fall back!" shouted the Colonel.
Our right wing was in confusion and disorder. The left wing fell back
steadily but only for a few rods, the advancing brigade opened ranks to
let us pass and we halted and we formed in its rear and sank exhausted
on the ground anxiously watching the fate of our gallant supporters.
Ninety-five of our brave boys were dead or wounded, nine-tenths of them
by that terrible flank fire. In our last five minutes on the field lay
the lifeless bodies of Captain Hayden and young Lieutenant Dewey.
Arnold and Wilson lay dead. Lieutenant Oliver had been carried from the
field with a bullet in his head, to linger for six weeks before death
came to his relief. Lieutenant Waterman stood resolute at the head of
his company with his arm bandaged and bleeding. Lieutenant Harkness
limped painfully along disabled by a spent bullet. John H. Hunt of
Coventry had his side torn open by an explosion, and his sufferings
were intense. It was strange that he didn't die instantly, yet he
lingered for seven days. John Martin fell dead at the final volley from
the Rebels. Old Button was carried off the field, his shoulder mangled,
the bone splintered in the socket and with but a few days more of life
before him. Graham lay dead. Brooks, the tall young sapling whose
extraordinary height made him a conspicuous mark, had fallen pierced by
a dozen bullets. Sergeant Taft, with a shattered arm, was carried off
the field by his lieutenant. Brennan, Gray, Prindle, Lawton, Holden and
Carlos Bissell lay dead. Cook lay mortally wounded. Lieutenant Banning
was crippled for life. John Thompson of Ellington had a bullet hole
through his jaws, incapacitating him for further service. Goodwin,
Lincoln, and Avery Brown were also seriously injured in this battle, as
were also many others whom I cannot name.

* * * * *

April 16th. We started at seven o'clock, marching quite slowly through
the day. We were